Stir Up War Talk To Make Business.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 19, 1913:
Socialist Says German Contractors Aid French in Anti-German Scares.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    BERLIN, April 18.— Amazing allegations in regard to the underlying cause of anti-German agitations in France were made at the close of tonight's session of the Reichstag, when the Socialist leader Liebknecht delivered a strong indictment of the methods of German armor-plate manufacturers and agents.
    "I am not merely making assertions; I hold proofs," he declared.
    The Socialist journal Vorwärts had already exposed a secret ring among private navy contractors for preventing free competition and dividing profits.
    Herr Liebknecht asserted that not only did the Deutsche Munitions und Waffenfabrik of Berlin employ emissaries to provide the French Chauvinist press with material for agitation against Germany and thus provoke international discord, but the Krupps also employed secret agents to corrupt German officers and officials of the Prussian War Office in order to obtain early information of forthcoming contracts and also an insight into the offers of competing firms.
    Herr Liebknecht went so far as to name the French papers which had been provided with anti-German material by the agents of the Munitions-fabrik, and added that the whole matter had been communicated by him to the War Minister (Gen. von Hoeringen) some time ago; also that, as a result of his information, prominent persons in Essen (the seat of the Krupp works) had been arrested and that inquiries had proved his information to be correct.
    When the War Minister rose to reply the House was absolutely still. He said he regretted that Herr Liebknecht had mentioned the Essen affair before the inquiry had been closed. He thought that the whole affair had been exaggerated. It was true that one of the Krupp officials had succeeded in bribing Sergeants and others to disclose certain information, which was not, however, what was technically described as military secrets. He could not say how far the Krupp firm itself had been concerned in the action of its official. He begged the house to reserve judgment until the inquiry had been concluded. He denied the charge that the War Ministry favored private firms and reduced the work in Government factories. In peace times enough work could not be given private firms to maintain them, so they were obliged to seek foreign orders. Nevertheless, in war time Germany would be unable to dispense with them.
    As for the accusations of stirring up strife, it would be as just to accuse the German firms of provoking the Balkan war. (Loud shouts and tumult on the Left made the Minister's words inaudible.)
    It is probable that Herr Liebknecht will be invited by the Munitions-Fabrik to repeat his charges outside the precincts of the Reichstag; but it is obvious that they will cause furious discussion for many days. It is stated that Herr Liebknecht's accusation against the Munitions-Fabrik amounts to a charge of high treason.